


Seek The Brightest Constellation (For Its Brightest Star Shall Guide You Home)

by nvmsl



Series: We Could Be Immortals (Just Not For Long) [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25694752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nvmsl/pseuds/nvmsl
Summary: You hated the ache in your chest. Never in a million years had you expected to know what heartache felt like, and you hated that you knew. It made you think about all the good old days, and it made you replay her death on repeat in your head. It made you feel powerless and vulnerable; it made you cry, and that made you feel like a mortal.You hated it. You hated crying and hated feeling like a mortal.But most of all, you hated that you weren’t a mortal.***sequel to "The Brightest Constellation (And the Most Tragic Love)" bc i hate sad endings so i'm here to try and make things right so here's artemis after everything in TTC. starts off as a collection of events but now i'm spinning it off into an actual story so yeahwritten in same 2nd-person-roman-numeral-sections style, but i just decided to split the sections into chapters because my 11 paged google doc was getting really annoying
Relationships: Adonis/Aphrodite (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Artemis/Zoë Nightshade (Percy Jackson), Hades/Persephone, Hera/Zeus
Series: We Could Be Immortals (Just Not For Long) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863319
Comments: 36
Kudos: 60





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PJO FANS :)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=PJO+FANS+%3A%29).



> my heart hurts for zartemis so here i am

**_Prologue…_ **

After her death, you took a leave from the Hunt. You introduced Thalia to the rest of the group, and after a day’s mourning of your late lieutenant, you fled the scene, returning to the lake in Pennsylvania where you had shared the night with your lover, away from the hustle-bustle of Mount Olympus and the mortal world. You had built a cabin decades ago, right there, where your lover and you once stood on a starry night confessing feelings to each other. 

There, you spent two days cooped up in a room, not eating, not resting, but only really staring off into space and feeling like a wreck. For the first time since forever, you were not craving an adventure. All you wanted, all you craved, was your lover. 

Did you have to call her your late lover now? 

You hated the ache in your chest. Never in a million years had you expected to know what heartache felt like, and you hated that you knew. It made you think about all the good old days, and it made you replay her death on repeat in your head. It made you feel powerless and vulnerable; it made you cry, and _that_ made you feel like a mortal. 

You hated it. You hated crying and hated feeling like a mortal. 

But most of all, you hated that you _weren’t_ a mortal. 


	2. I always knew Apollo sang songs about tragic romances; I just never thought he would one day sing about me and you.

Your twin brother was the first to visit. He came after sundown on your third day at the cabin, dressed in an unusual outfit of black sweatpants and a grey sweater and knocked on your wooden door, and you could feel the worry in him through your godly-twins-connection. He must’ve felt your pain, too. There was so much you wanted to say to him. 

And so you spoke. 

You whipped the door open, nearly breaking the metal hinges, cursing at him and asking him, _why didn’t you warn me this would happen I know you saw this coming can’t you feel how much it hurts she didn’t deserve this—_

He cut you off and pulled you into his arms, whispering, _I’m sorry Artemis I’m sorry I'm so sorry_ as you broke down, crying into the fabric of his grey sweater. He murmured soothing lullabies until you were calm, and made you dinner. You didn’t speak much, but he tried his best to fill the silence, telling you stories of his past week and how your huntresses were doing. 

“They’ve recruited another two girls,” he’d said, while preparing fresh boar meat that he had hunted before he arrived. “Everything’s going well, and they’re currently in the Poconos, finishing up another bounty hunt for Hades.” 

“That’s great,” you’d replied, your voice monotone. “Thanks for keeping me updated.” 

He stayed with you for the night and held you in his arms, humming lullabies by your ear until you were asleep. You didn’t exactly need to sleep, of course (because of your immortality), but it did help with healing your wounds and numbing the heartache. You had forgotten about how much you missed falling asleep with your lover’s warm body by your side and couldn’t stop crying when your brother held you close. 

When you woke in the morning, your brother was already gone, and the sun was rising in the sky. Your brother’s daily task reminded you that the world around you was moving on and that you needed to get back to your job as well. And so you gathered your belongings and exited the cabin, closing the door behind you and locking it tightly. 

You channeled the energy into your hands and flames danced on your fingertips, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do it. You couldn’t bring yourself to burn down the place where it all started, where a girl confessed her feelings for you nearly a century ago, and you kissed her in return. You just couldn’t do it. When the tears welled in your eyes, you could only sigh shakily and try not to cry. 

You walked away, hoping that time would heal you. 


	3. Men pray to Athena to gain knowledge, but now, I pray that she takes away my knowledge of what it is like to lose a lover.

Athena was the next to visit. It was a couple days later, and you had been on Mount Olympus, practicing archery with your brother on a rare day that he was excused from driving the sun chariot. For the past three days since leaving the cabin, the only things that could take your late lover off your mind were the dull thuds of your arrows against wooden targets. And if you closed your eyes and imagined that the targets looked like a certain titan that held the sky, you felt a little better. 

But not really though. 

When your sister dropped by, it was obvious that she’d had a busy day as well. She wore a sharp grey business suit that matched her eyes and still carried a laptop bag by her side. She brought gifts in her hands: a basket of fresh figs and some of the round honey cakes that you loved so much. 

“Annabeth made them,” she said, as your brother dug in. You took a hesitant bite of a slice of cake and swallowed. There was no denying how well made it was, but the knowledge that you couldn’t share this with your lover made the cake taste bitter. 

“Please give her my thanks,” you forced yourself to finish the slice, even though it tasted like cardboard with extra sugar. “This tastes wonderful.” 

Your brother, after finishing his slice of cake, stood up and excused himself for the rest of the day. “I might’ve promised one of my sons that I would help teach Cabin Seven how to do proper stitches.” He hugged the both of you as goodbyes and disappeared in a quick flash. 

“What brings you to this lovely part of Mount Olympus, sister?” You asked your sister, who was tapping her fingers together nervously. You figured it was probably morse code, judging by the erratic movement. 

“I never got to properly thank you for taking the burden for my daughter, and I wanted to see how you were doing… with, well, you-know-who being gone.” 

“What do you mean—” 

“Save it. She loved you, and you loved her. I saw the way you looked at each other. ” 

“Oh. I didn’t realize it was obvious.” 

“It wasn’t that obvious, at first. You did a really good job of hiding it. She made it obvious at times, but overall it was a pretty well-kept secret. I think.” Your sister shook her head, the corners of her lips twitching up slightly. “But _di immortales_ , did you two really have to do it in my olive fields? You _do_ know that my owls report everything back to me, right? Imagine how I felt, sitting there listening to my owls try to force-feed my brain stories of my supposedly asexual sister doing the deed.” 

At that, you couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Your sister was surprised and you were as well. It was your first good laugh since… the whole ordeal. 

“Thank you,” you said sincerely. “Thanks for coming to this— I don’t even know what to call it— pity party, and cheering me up. I didn’t realize how much better your sense of humor was than Apollo’s.” 

She blew it off with a wave. “Anyone’s humor is better than that twin of yours. Plus, it’s the least I can do. You saved my daughter’s life.” 

You took a bite out of a fig and munched slowly before replying. “I’d rather say I saved my niece’s life. Sounds nicer.” Your smile dropped when you remembered the price of saving your young niece. 

There was a moment of silence, before your sister opened her arms toward you, saying, “Come here, sister.” You obliged, letting her arms wrap around you. The tears came again, and you didn’t care. The throbbing in your chest was back, and you just wanted your lover in your arms again. 

“Let it out,” your sister whispered, as she brushed back your hair and held you tighter. “I know it hurts.”

“It was too soon, she didn’t deserve to die like that… we were supposed to have another century, another millennium together.” 

“I know, but the Fates are cruel,” she murmured. “I only wished that they took it easy on you. You do so much for everyone already. _You_ deserved better.” 

“ _She_ deserved better,” you sniffed into her jacket, the memory of those bright hazel eyes still haunting your mind. “I’m sorry I’m ruining your suit,” you muttered, as your sister wiped at your eyes with a handkerchief. You loosened your grip on your sister’s suit lapels. “I hate this.” 

“I know you do. I’m sorry, Arti. I know it hurts, but it’ll get better, I promise. I just wish... take care of yourself, won’t you? I didn’t know her personally, but I know that she would’ve wanted the same thing.” 

“Okay. Okay, I’ll try.”

She stayed with you for the rest of the day, telling the nerdiest jokes she had up her sleeve, and you appreciated it. You were grateful to have siblings that truly cared for you, and at the end of the day, you fell asleep with a smile on your face, while listening to your older sister ramble on about architecture puns. 

It was nice to be happy again, even if it were just for a couple of hours. 


	4. Ares was never the brightest, but, my Gods, even he knows the only cure to my broken heart is you.

“Good afternoon, sister,” Ares’s rough voice came from the corner of your camp. He was dressed as he always was, with black jeans, combat boots, and a bulletproof vest strapped over a simple T-shirt, wearing a smug smirk on his face. You had just rejoined your huntresses after nearly a week of leave, and the last thing you really wanted was to get in an argument with your older half-brother. 

“What do you want?” You said with the most neutral expression you could manage, as you stood there brushing one of your wolves’ pelts. The she-wolf whined unhappily as you told her to go. Your huntresses scuttled away from you and your brother, feeling the tension coming off in waves. From a distance, they watched warily while continuing to set up the camp for the night. 

“I just wanted to say hi to my baby sister,” Ares grinned. 

“You never come to just say hi,” you replied, glancing at him with a sharp look. “And don’t call me your baby sister, I’m practically as old as you are. Do you need something?” 

Your brother’s grin shrunk a little. “I thought you might be up for a spar.” 

“I’m not in the mood.” You waved him off, getting up from your seat and heading toward your tent. You paused at the entrance, “Do you need anything else? If it’s a bounty hunt for my hunters, we’re not accepting any right now. Maybe next year.” 

Your brother’s expression fell and for the first time, you thought he actually looked upset. “It’s not about bounty hunts, but I know Father did want to ask you to find something, so he might be coming your way soon… But, look, Artemis, I know we don’t usually get along—” 

You scoffed at his words. “Please, you don’t get along with anyone, other than Aphrodite.” 

“—but I really just wanted to talk to you, that’s all. Just take a walk with me and hear me out for a bit, alright?” 

You huffed in response, with a stiff, “Fine”, before grabbing your bow and arrows and leading him off into the woods. You handed a bow and quiver of arrows to him as well. “Help me hunt. What do you want to talk about?” 

“I… heard about the Nightshade girl.” Hearing her name made you trip over a fallen branch, and you nearly impaled yourself with the arrow in your hand. You got up hastily, brushing off some thorns stuck to your shirt. You weren’t expecting the conversation to go this way. 

Your words were sharp and stiff when you spoke again. “Her name was Zoe Nightshade. And so? I don’t see what she has to do with you.”

“Look, I wanted to express my, er, consolences, I guess.” Your brother scratched his head anxiously as the two of you went farther into the forest. “I heard the two of you were close.” 

“It’s condolences.” You noticed fresh prints in the mud by the side of a river, and began following it. The sooner you found it, the sooner you could cook up some fresh meat for the huntresses. “And I don’t need your pity, thanks.”

“ARTEMIS, JUST STOP WALKING AND LOOK AT ME, DAMMIT!” Your brother’s voice boomed, echoing off the rocks on the sides of the river. A couple of birds flew off of the branches in the trees as well. 

You were— what was that word that Thalia used? Oh, yeah— _pissed off_ . And so you lunged at him, arrow tip pressing into the skin of his neck, making eye contact with him. “I’m looking at you. Now, tell me what the _hell_ you want so I can get back to hunting, and hopefully find a boar or something, if you haven’t already scared them all off already!” 

He sighed and held up his hands slowly, which surprised you, because the war god rarely surrendered, and whenever he did, it was never willingly. Therefore, you returned your arrow to your quiver and tried to regain some composure as he gingerly reached the backpack that he had been carrying and pulled out two leather-sheath hunting knives. 

“Look, I wanted to talk to you, because I thought you might’ve wanted to have this,” he said, pressing the handles of the knives into your hand as you loosened your hold on your bow and let it drop to your side. The straps that kept the bow from falling onto the ground dug into your side, but you didn’t care. 

“Are those…”

“Yeah. I, er, took a walk by the mountain and found them accidentally.” 

You knew that wasn’t the truth. It probably sounded more like, _I went to the mountain and got them back for you_ , but you knew your brother would never admit something like that. 

You pulled the blade from the sheath, and it gleamed under the setting sun. Shadows spilled over the familiar intricate carvings on the half-silver and half-bronze blade. The leather was worn, but you still remember the day that you offered it to your loyal lieutenant, hundreds of years ago. She'd gazed at the carving in wonder, the same way you stared at it now, unable to speak, because you didn’t think you would ever see it again. And when you looked up to your brother again, he was watching you with an almost concerned expression on his face. 

“Thank you,” you said sincerely, voice thick. “This means a lot to me.” You closed the distance between you two and hugged him for the first time. He patted your back awkwardly. 

“Oh, no you don’t have to... you’ve done so much with helping me find things I’ve lost… you’re still my sister, and I _do_ care for you, you know?” he scratched the back of his neck while looking away. “We’re all in this one big unfunctional family but, you know, we’re family. Family looks out for each other.” 

“I didn’t know you were so sappy. Also, I think you meant dysfunctional, not unfunctional.” 

“Stop being a smartass, you’re ruining the moment.” He smiled nervously as you pulled away and tucked the knives into the pockets of your silver cargo pants. “Now, I think we have a deer to track down… and yes, I’m staying for dinner because Apollo told me your huntresses make great s’mores and I’m not leaving until I get some.” At that, he jogged past you, following the trail next to the river. You shook your head at his childishness, a soft smile playing at your lips as he went by. 

And in that brief moment, your chest didn’t ache. 


	5. Hermes knew when our travels would end, but I wish he'd told me sooner that I would have to continue down the road without you.

Hermes came to visit next, after Ares. It was the last day of the year, and you were feeling something between happy and sad. You and your huntresses were back in New York again, because the younger ones wanted to see the ball drop in Times Square the next. You felt happy, because you knew that your younger huntresses were happy about being there for the New Year’s Eve celebration; on the other hand, you felt down because… well, it was obvious why. 

You were able to rent out an enormous penthouse (thanks to Apollo pulling some strings) that sat on 172 Madison Avenue, which was practically right next to the Empire State Building, and therefore, next to Mount Olympus. It was large enough to fit everyone into a room, but your huntresses still ended up setting up tents in the living room area. Something about it “feeling unnatural,” they said, and so the wolves ended up taking the beds, and some of the falcons and eagles rested on pillows, too. 

It was early in the morning, before the sun had even risen, when your brother knocked on the door. You, as always, were the first one up, and you looked through the peephole to see your youngest Olympian brother dressed in a UPS uniform (which looked a bit strange with his winged sandals), holding a small box in his hands. You opened the door, and he walked into the penthouse quietly as you whispered at him to try to be quiet, since everyone else was still asleep. 

Hermes was probably your second favorite brother (gods, his jokes were so much better than Apollo’s); if Apollo hadn’t been your twin brother, and if he hadn’t been so great at archery and hunting, Hermes would’ve been your favorite brother for sure. 

“What’s up?” you asked him, pouring him a glass of water from the kitchen. 

“Happy last day of this year, Arti! I come bearing gifts!” he thrusted the small box that he held into your hands. You eyed it curiously as he told you to open it. When you opened it, it turned out to be a stack of glossy black cards. 

“What’s this?” You turned one of the cards over to see the numbers on the backside. “Oh. Credit cards.” You didn’t know what else you had expected… 

“Yeah, I thought you all could go shopping for supplies or something for the new year. There’s ten thousand dollars in each of them, and it could come in handy with emergencies, too. I promise I didn’t steal them… well, not really. But anyway, there’s more!” He shrugged off a drawstring backpack and pulled out a bottle of wine from in it. You inspected the label as he continued speaking. “D sends his thanks via wine. 1822 Château Lafite, if I’m pronouncing it right. He said you preferred red wine, and this was one of the best that he had. Wanted to deliver it in person and thank you for saving “the Annie Bell girl”, but, you know, with his punishment and all… ” 

“Oh, yes. I understand. Please tell him I said thanks. And that I’ll try to visit camp sometime, maybe take off some responsibilities off his shoulder for a day or two.” 

Your brother tsked. “As if he actually does any of his duties. "Mr. D is such a great camp director" my ass. We all know that Chiron practically runs the camp on his own.” 

“Of course.” You smiled at that. Dionysus was your youngest and laziest Olympian sibling, but he was also the most nonjudgmental and “low-key”, as Thalia had said. You found his sarcasm and snarky humor to be very entertaining at times. 

You turned your attention back to your other brother. “So what brings you here? I just want to say ahead of time, if it’s bounty hunts, my hunters are not accepting any right now.” 

“Ah, well...” Hermes whipped out a manila envelope from his bag and handed it to you. “This was supposed to be a bounty hunt that Father had wanted you to do. I tried to ask him to give you a break, but he said it’s urgent. I don’t know what it’s about, but Father wants you to meet with him sometime to talk about it.” 

“Oh. Well, thanks for asking anyways.” You said to your brother, scowling. Of course your father didn’t care about your boundaries. “But is there any specific reason you’re dropping by bearing gifts? Not to sound rude or anything, but you know, most people don’t usually drop by unless they want something.” 

“No, no, I’m not asking for anything,” Hermes held his hands up, as if surrendering. “Really, D and I just…” His face reddened in embarrassment. “We wanted to tell you that we appreciate everything you’ve done for us, you know?” 

You stayed quiet. It was a good enough answer for you, but you knew it was probably because they felt bad about your lover’s passing. Gods of Olympus, it seemed like everyone knew, what the hell? You sighed, understanding that they just wanted to comfort you. 

“Alright,” Hermes said awkwardly, face still flushed red. He adjusted his UPS cap and stood from the barstool seat. “I’ll head out. I have a couple more things to deliver.” He winked jokingly at you as he opened the front door. “You and your girls enjoy the night, alright? Don’t do anything crazy.” 

“We’ll try our best,” You couldn’t help but chuckle at him. “And you enjoy the night as well.” He nodded one last time and then stepped out, closing the door behind him. It clicked quietly, locking on its own, and you sat down on one of the barstools, alone again. You gazed sadly at the dark bottle of wine. 

_Drinking on New Year’s Eve,_ you thought. _What a perfect excuse._


	6. Hephaestus always said that successful relationships were like working machines, and now that I'm falling apart because you're no longer with me, I think I finally understand his reasoning.

Hephaestus came next. 

It was exactly a month and three days into the New Year, and a bright, sunny morning in Seattle when your eldest brother arrived at your campsite, which was about a ten-minute walk from the Amazons’ headquarters. Thalia guided him to your tent, and he shuffled in awkwardly, the brace on his leg ringing as he bumped into a pole of the tent. 

“Oh, good morning!” You said in surprise. You cleared the table and pulled out a chair for him to sit. He sat gingerly as you spoke. “What are you doing all the way out here?” 

“Uh, supply shopping?” his reply was more of a question than an answer. “Yeah, you know, the Amazon headquarters.” 

“Yes, that’s where we’re headed right now,” you poured him a hot cup of tea, frowning as you noticed that you were down to your last box of Amaranth tea leaves. Passing the cup to him, you continued to speak: “And I also know that you and none of the other gods would go anywhere near the Amazons because they would try to decapitate you because you’re male, which would cause quite some pain, even though you’re a god. Which is why you’re talking to me right now.” 

Hephaestus scowled, muttering to himself, “Of course, should’ve known you’re too smart,” but you could tell that there was no malice in his words. “But I dressed up, so I’m hoping they’ll be… er, nicer.” He gestured toward the clothing that he was wearing. 

You eyed him the black slacks and collared shirt he wore. He’d cleaned up nicely, but the worn, steel brace clamped over his pants and the singed tips of his hair ruined the look. You sighed. _At least he tried._

“So, I’m guessing the Amazons stole something of yours?” 

His bushy eyebrows lifted in surprise. “How did you know?” 

“Well, why else would you come all the way over here by yourself? Plus, what was that word you just called me?” You stroked your chin thoughtfully, feigning an image of your father being deep in thought. “Ah-ha, yes, I’m smart!” 

He chuckled lightly at your words, shrugging. “Can’t deny it.” 

“So, back to the matter at hand. You want to travel with me to visit the Amazons because they'll probably be more civil if I’m there, and hopefully do some negotiating or something, or maybe even just steal the item back. Am I right?” 

“Why do I feel like you’re making fun of me?” 

“Oh, I am,” You waved him off with your hand. “But no worries, let’s go now. They won’t do anything rash if I vouch for you.” He got up and followed you out of the tent. “Aunty Arti’s got your back.” 

“I’m older than you. It should be like ‘Niece Arti’ or something instead.” The two of you made your way down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace. A couple of your hunters nodded their head slightly at Hephaestus. After all, he’d been the one who crafted much of your group’s hunting and camping supplies. “Plus, you’d make _such_ a scary aunt. I can quite literally see you shooting arrows at all of the drunk uncles in the family.” 

“Careful! The last thing I want are two angry uncles throwing skeletons and saltwater at me.” Your brother rolled his eyes as you spoke. “Also, I don’t think Niece Arti works. Auntie Arti just has _such_ a nice ring to it.” 

Hesphaestus snorted at that. “Sure, whatever you say.” 

Minutes later, the two of you arrived at the glass doors of the Amazon headquarters. Your brother held the door for you. “Aunties first,” he said, his eyes twinkling with mirth. 

When you walked into the foyer of the familiar building, at least a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward you, and when your brother entered, all of those eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

Hephaestus nodded awkwardly at the receptionists, the first pretty teenage girl with charcoal black hair and a pale, white scar on her forehead— a distinct contrast against her otherwise bronze skin— and the second, an fair-skinned Asian with straight, brown hair that was tied back into a ponytail. 

“Good morning,” your brother said as an awkward greeting. 

His mistake. 

You should’ve warned him that men didn’t speak here unless they were spoken to first. But of course, you’d forgotten to, so now, you had to deal with the consequences. Thankfully, the receptionists didn’t try to kill your brother on the spot. You sighed. That would’ve been messy.

Instead, the young black-haired receptionist immediately jumped to her feet, and a thin dagger was pointed at Hephaestus’s chin, the tip only a centimeter or two away from touching skin. The atmosphere of the foyer was suddenly suffocatingly tense. 

“Put down the weapon, girl,” you said, stepping up. You gestured at the silver bow strapped to your back. “He is with me.” The black-haired girl’s dagger didn’t waver, but her gaze flickered over to you for a brief moment before returning to your brother. You sighed again. “Do you not know who I am?” 

She tilted her head at her partner who was also sitting at the front desk. The Asian girl gave a sharp nod of her head, and the black-haired girl pulled back with a frown on her face. 

The other receptionist bowed her head slightly at you. “My apologies, Lady Artemis. My partner is new here.” The black-haired girl’s jaw dropped at that as she gazed incredulously at you. The Asian girl continued to speak. “My name is Tsuki Yamaguchi. How can we help you and your… friend today?” She eyed your brother warily. 

You waved her off. “Ah, yes, my brother Hephaestus and I would like to speak to Queen Astoria.” You held in your grin as you saw the black-haired girl’s eyes widen even more in shock. 

“He— Lord Hesphaestus!” the black-haired girl stuttered in shock as her partner Tsuki watched her in amusement, “I apologize—”

Hephaestus’s laughter boomed through the foyer, and several heads turned toward you and your brother once again. “Don’t worry about it, you did what you thought you had to.” The girl’s face flushed scarlet in embarrassment. 

“What’s your name, Amazon?” You spoke, grinning widely at your brother’s words. 

“My, uh— Hylla,” she squeaked. She cleared her throat before speaking up a little more. “Hylla Ramirez-Arellano, Lady Artemis.” Your eyes met, and she looked down quickly, clearly intimidated by you. 

“Relax,” you said, smiling at the younger girl. She must’ve been “Hylla. Good name. It means “loyal,” doesn’t it?” The girl, Hylla, nodded quickly before turning to her partner with a confused expression that said something like _what am I supposed to do?_ While she turned slightly, her hair braid whipped over her shoulder, and your smile dropped as you saw the intricate braid running down her back. It looked so familiar, and you squinted at it for a moment before realizing that it looked so similar to—

_My only favorite. My loyal lieutenant. My selfless lover. My brave one._

“Zoe,” you whispered softly, unable to stop the emotions from tumbling into your words. Three pairs of eyes snapped back to you, and in the place of Hylla’s dark, nearly obsidian, eyes, you saw the familiar light hazels of your late lover, and you panicked, muttering, “I have to go, I have to—”

You crossed the foyer and left in a hurry, gasping as the fresh air hit your face when you got outside. You took a couple steps to the side of the door and sat down, curling up into a ball with the straps of your bow digging into your shoulder. Clutching your hands to your face, you closed your eyes in hopes of making that image of your dying lover disappear, but it was all in vain. Your heart was pounding, and you wanted to press your hands to her wound, but it was like you were detached from your body. You could still see the crimson blood on her lips, the dulling light in her golden-brown eyes, the silver circlet on her forehead— 

Warm hands enveloped yours and a familiar voice spoke from in front of you. It sounded distant, like an echo, but you could hear it. 

“Artemis. Breathe with me,” the voice said, making a slight sound, sucking in air, and you followed. You inhaled shakily, your heart still pounding at the sight of your late lover still etched into your mind. “Exhale.” You exhaled slowly. 

“Open your eyes, Artemis.” Your eyes fluttered open and you stared weakly at the blurry figure in front of you. Two fingers drifted into your view, overlapping the image of your late lover’s face. 

“Slow breaths. How many fingers am I holding up?” 

“I— two.” 

“What about now?” 

“Four.” 

“What about my name?” You blinked slowly, and your lover’s hazel eyes faded into the familiar dark maroon eyes of your brother. 

“Hephaestus. What the—” You rubbed your eyes and took a couple more moments to gather your thoughts. Everything seemed more present, more… _real_ after several slow, deep breaths. “What happened?” 

Your brother hesitated before speaking. “I think you had a panic attack. I don’t really know…” 

Hylla burst out of the doorway with a paper cup in her hand. “I got some nectar!” She took one look at you and your brother and grimaced. “Sorry, is this a bad time? Please don't turn me into an animal.” 

“No, no, it’s fine, just,” you got to your feet and gratefully took the cup from Hylla. You drained it in one go before tossing the cup into a recycling bin at the entrance. You rubbed at your eyes, trying to clear the fog from your mind. _What in the world just happened._ “Thanks. Let’s head in.” 

Your brother and you were escorted by Hylla to the elevators. A couple seconds later, the door opened to the 37th floor of the building, and Hylla led you down the hall to the executive office. 

“My Queen, you have visitors,” Hylla said as she knocked on the door. A muffled but bright “come in” was heard, and Hylla pulled the door open for you and your brother. After you and your brother shuffled into the office, Hylla gave a small nod at the Amazon queen before leaving. 

The room was tidy and professional, except for the two tall, messy stacks of papers and files on the desk. The stacks of paper reminded you of the old twin towers in New York. Behind the desk sat a girl who must’ve been no older than 21, scribbling away at loose sheets with a fancy looking pen. Her hair was curly and pulled up into a rounded bun near the base of her neck, and her skin was a dark shade of brown. With the soft natural light shining through the windows and pouring across her figure, her skin reminded you of espresso coffee, the expensive kind you’d find at a good cafe. 

“Good morning, uh…” she looked up, squinting slightly at the two of you before muttering something that sounded like, “I swear I didn’t have any meetings until ten,” and then, turning to the side and grabbing something. Turning back toward you, you noticed that she now had a pair of glasses perched on her nose. “Sorry, I didn’t wear my contacts today. Are y’all my ten o'clock’s? You’re kind of early...” She glanced at the two of you disapprovingly. “And you have weapons. Am I missing something?” 

“Queen Astoria Leandro,” you greeted her, “I don’t believe we’ve met before. My name is—” 

“Oh. My. Gods. Wait a second.” She cut you off with a surprisingly high pitched squeal while jumping up to her feet and running up to you. “You’re Artemis, aren’t you?” She reached out to hug you before composing herself and holding out a hand instead. “Sorry,” she muttered sheepishly. “I just ascended the throne a couple weeks ago and I heard that our previous Queen often worked directly with you, and I’m a huge fan of yours. It’s so great to finally meet you! I’m Astoria! I’m a daughter of Kratos.” 

“Uh, yes, of course,” Your eyebrows probably couldn’t get any higher than they were right now. You shook her hand briefly. “Nice to meet you, too.” 

“So, who’s this guy? I thought you didn’t hunt with men anymore.” Her gaze flitted over to your brother, who looked like he was on the verge of laughing. 

“That’s my brother,” you said. “Hephaestus, God of forges, fire, et cetera.” 

“Wow.” The young Amazon queen gasped as she shook your brother’s hand. “This is incredible! I can’t believe I’m meeting two Olympians right now. It’s an honor. Wow.” 

“Uhhhh, yeah, I know your dad. He’s the spirit of strength and sovereign rule or something right?” Your brother asked. Queen Astoria nodded. “Hm,” your brother paused. “Your dad’s kind of a jerk.” You gave him a sharp glare, and he immediately changed the subject. “So, um, let’s get down to business?” That seemed to snap Queen Astoria out of her trance, and she immediately gestured at the two empty seats in front of her desk. 

“Sorry about all this, I have to do a couple meetings today and my last secretary tried to feed a horse that we caught two days ago, and she ended up losing her entire arm, so now I have to find a new secretary while also doubling up on work,” she sat behind the desk and began to sign more papers. She paused briefly and looked up, saying, “So what are you two doing here today?”

You glanced at Hephaestus before speaking first. “Well, I’m actually in this area with my Hunters to discuss some plans with your Amazons that my lieutenant had been thinking about, but my brother had some concerns about other things and I’m just here as his escort for now. Because, you know, Amazons and men don’t mix quite well.” 

“You’ve got a point there.” Queen Astoria flipped through a couple pages in silence before speaking again. “So what about you, Lord Hephaestus? What are you concerned about?” 

“The Amazons have stolen something of mine. And I want it back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was kind of a long chapter and that was a really abrupt ending, but basically, I'm updating REALLY slowly because I have a lot of stuff on my plate right now. Junior year (high school) hasn't even started for me, but I'm already stressed about all of my GPA and SATs and ACTs and APs and music and science competitions, and it's just ridiculous. Anyway, I have the worst writer's block on my personal record right now, and it was physically excruciating to finish this chapter. I have so many random writing projects going on, too, and I don't really have a solid plot drawn out for this one yet, so I'm not sure when I'll be updating it. It might be next week, it might be next year, or it might be when I (hopefully) arrive at my dorm at my dream college (so that's like 2 years). Whelp. Wish me luck and I wish you guys luck as well with whatever's going on in your lives :)


	7. Orion once loved me, and he could not have me; now that I think about it, maybe karma is the reason why I cannot hold you in my arms again.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that again?” Queen Astoria’s gaze turned hard, and you mentally sighed at your brother’s blunt words. 

“Please don’t get angry, Astoria,” you sighed, glancing at your brother with a warning look. “I’m sure my brother means no offense… isn’t that right?” 

“I mean no offense to you, Queen Astoria,” your brother said nonchalantly, and Astoria’s posture loosened just slightly before hearing his next words, “but I really do believe your warriors have something of mine— a something about 6 feet long, maybe 15 pounds. It’s got this silver handle, some wires poking out from underneath of it. It’s quite important that I get it back; it’s for my dear uncles, you see.” Your eyebrows skyrocketed in surprise at his words. 

_A what now?_

“Lord Hephaestus, I’m afraid I haven’t heard of—” At that moment the PA speaker on the ceiling blared with an alarm tone and Astoria gave an impatient huff before pressing a button on the side of the desk. Immediately, the line jumped to life. A screech from the speaker made her jerk away in surprise, and it made you raise an eyebrow. A voice burst through the line. 

“It’s an emer—” the line cut out for a brief moment before the voice continued. It sounded like the Hylla girl from downstairs. “Tsuki’s down, there’s too many of them— HAH, take _THAT_ ye’ll scalawag sons of a—” There was a sound of an explosion and a couple static crackles before sound burst through again. “Sorry, a big crow broke the central chandelier— requesting immediate backup and medical team to the lobby, requesting immediate— hey! Give me my sword back, you rat! Ye’ll walk the plank for that—” A colorful sentence filled with curse words flew through the speakers and you saw Astoria cringe slightly at it before darting out of the room. You glanced at your brother, who was still sitting in his seat, fiddling with the cuff of his dress shirt. 

“Not my place,” he said, with a nonchalant shrug. “See you around.” He stood and tossed you a two-fingered salute, before disappearing in a small burst of light. 

You could honestly disappear as well, but these were the Amazons. You couldn’t just abandon them; after all, they had labeled you as one of their patron deities. 

You sighed. Of course, it was up to you to help the demigods clean up the godly messes again. 

Closing your eyes, you concentrated, drawing up an image of the lower lobby in your mind. Within moments, you opened your eyes again to see the battlefield in the lobby. Desks and chairs were strung about wildly, and papers strewn all over the front counter. An injured Yamaguchi was being helped into another room by a buff looking woman, while Hylla fought Orion alone by the front counter. Orion had her sword in his left hand and his own bow in his right, but Hylla was holding her ground quite well, using only her metal scabbard to fight back. It shined a pale shade of silver under the fluorescent lights, and you found it quite aesthetically pleasing. Another two Amazons were also doing an intricate jabbing dance with an oversized crow that was breathing fire and perched on a mini-chandelier. 

Meanwhile, you stood on the side, popping a piece of gum into your mouth. You knew you weren’t supposed to interfere much; therefore, you’d only step in if things really looked like they were going bad. Plus, you got to give the girls a chance to experience the fight before diving in yourself. So when Orion backed Hylla against the corner of the counter and disarmed her smoothly, causing the girl’s scabbard to fly a good ten feet or so away from the counter, your patience snapped. 

“Orion, you cowardly brute!” you stepped forward, drawing your hunting knives. “Won’t you fight someone with the same strength, or are you making it a habit of picking on mortals now?” The huntsman turned your way and when you saw his mechanical eyes, you almost choked on your gum. Those eyes looked even _more_ protruding and unappealing than the last time you’d seen them, which was not even ten years ago. 

You didn’t even realize it, but apparently, you’d said your words out loud, and Orion’s face turned a slight shade of red, his lips thinning. But then his eyes seemed to catch something, and his lips curled upward into a sneer. 

“Are those your nosy lieutenant’s knives I see? I could recognize that design from anywhere. I had my doubts when I first heard that she got mauled, but it seems like it’s true, I guess. I mean, sucks I never got to bash her to pulp, but hey, maybe I could get to use those knives to skin some deer hide in the future.” 

“You’re a piece of scum, Orion,” you barked back, throwing bitter insults after as he walked toward you. When he’s within striking distance, you rush forward, forever light on your feet, and spin into a kick to his cheek that sends him reeling to the left. He staggers back upright, wiping ichor from his cheeks, the lights in his mechanical eyes glinting sinisterly. 

“Well, you’re a fool, Arti,” he drawled in reply. “You’ve always been.” He drew his bows and lazily shot an arrow to the side. From the corner of your eye, you saw the arrow race toward the young woman that had been helping Yamaguchi out of the room. On instinct, you felt your body shift and suddenly, you’re kneeling on one knee across the room, with a sharp pain throbbing in your side. The shaft of the arrow stuck out from somewhere under your ribs, but you ignored the pain and pulled it out, pausing only a moment to wince slightly at the sting. You looked behind you to check on the woman, and she flashed you a grateful look over her shoulder as she and Yamaguchi turned out of sight. 

When you whipped your face around to face Orion again, you found him looming over your kneeling form. Laser-like lines came from his eye, and you could almost feel it floating across your form as you pulled yourself to your feet. 

“You’re the fool,” you swung a dagger across his chest, but nearly lost your balance as pain shot through your body. You huffed again, “If you weren’t a fool, you wouldn’t be here right now. Trying to fight the same battle even though you always lose.” You felt yourself swaying… was it just you, or was the pain in your side burning more than usual? 

“I won’t be losing anymore, not after this time,” he sneered, you staggered another step forward. 

“What… what did you do to me?” you exhaled the words shakily. “What is this…?” 

“Hydra blood and Ladon’s poison, boiled with Akhlys’ tears,” Orion smiled widely. “Should be more than enough to make you human for some time. I’ll let you suffer for a few weeks and then kill you off the way I did with those puny mortals in Nevada that you call your hunters.” 

“You…” You lung forward, at the words. You should’ve known that he would go after your followers first, and the anger you felt at yourself for not even thinking about that made you squeeze at his neck twice as hard as usual. He swung his bow at you thrice, striking at the side of your temple hard, but you refused to budge. Even as ichor dripped down your cheek and painted your fingers a brilliant shade of gold, you held on. 

“You— can’t kill— me— not on— on your own—” Orion wheezed, dropping his weapons to wrap his own hand around your neck. The sudden pressure was so intense that you swore you almost back out… and maybe he really was right. Was this poison really strong enough to make you feel human? 

“I might feel human—” you gasped out the words, “but I am still a _GOD_.” At that, you choked out a strangled “Hylla,” hoping that the teen would be able to understand. Thankfully she did, and a moment later, you found yourself falling back in exhaustion as Orion’s hands loosened around your neck. A silver blade protruded his stomach, and you could see the tips of his fingers starting to turn grey and dissolve into fine particles.

Staggering to your feet, you looked down from over him. 

“You lost again, Orion.” 

“Oh, Arti, if only you knew,” The black-haired man chuckled, shaking his head. “I was just the distraction… what is it the mortal says? I’ve lost this battle, but I’ve won the war. The raven’s gotten what she’s needed, and I’ll be back before you know it...” 

Stamping your feet in frustration as Orion’s face dissolved into particles and fell to the ground, you couldn’t help but notice that your feet were hurting, too. It was so unusual that you had to fight the urge to sit down and examine your feet. Did you step on broken glass or something? You weren’t quite sure. Hylla, noticing your slight limp, wrapped your arm around her shoulder and guided you out of the lobby into the hall where you had seen Yamaguchi being led to. 

Medics were around, treating the ten or so women that had been injured in the fight. It seemed that Yamaguchi was the most injured, but even her injuries were minor, just a fractured bone in her leg, what looked like a slight concussion, and a sprained wrist, as compared to some that your huntresses had to suffer through. 

Astoria meanwhile, seemed to have walked through a hurricane. She didn’t seem much injured, but she delicately cradled her arm. Her hair, which had been in a bun when you last saw her, was now loose and puffy, her black curls tangled and matted with dried blood. She must’ve broken and lost the lenses of her glasses somewhere along the way, too, because it was just frames perched on her nose, and she squinted at your figure as you walked toward her. You figured you were probably looking a similar level of disheveled, just with more golden blood, that’s all. 

“What were they here for?” Astoria asked you when she finally recognized your features. Hylla loosened her hold on you as she sat you down on a chair pulled to the side. 

“I don’t know,” you answered honestly, “but it seems that they were able to get what they wanted.”

At that moment, another woman, seemingly in her mid or late twenties rushed into the hall from the stairwell door, crying out in distress. “They’ve done it! It’s the half-built spear that we stole from Mount Hood, they’ve taken it!” 

Astoria’s expression darkened when she heard the words. “The _what_ did you just say now?” 

The woman’s face paled when she realized that Astoria was in the hall. “My Queen! I didn’t mean to—” 

“Save it, I will deal with you later,” Astoria grimaced as she turned to address you, “for now, we need to figure out how to get your brother’s invention back.” She bowed deeply, apologizing, “I’m sorry for all the inconvenience my Amazons caused, milady.” 

You nodded your head, acknowledging and accepting the apology. “It’s not your fault... We just need to clean up this mess and proceed to make some new plans now.” You pivoted slightly on your feet to address the rest of the room. “For now, rebuild and tighten your defenses... My hunters will be arriving later tonight or tomorrow to help with buildings, and to discuss… the plans as well.” You shifted uncomfortably, the stinging in your side getting worse by the moment. “And I… I… need to speak to my father.” You hated how short your breath was. “Do you have extra nectar?” 

A young medic handed you a styrofoam cup of the sweet substance and you drank steadily. But as you drank, it felt like your body was heating up and before you actually started sweating, you spit out the drink, drawing the attention of nearly everyone in the hall, because— 

_Should be more than enough to make you human for some time._

If that was so, you realized, then your body would’ve burned up if you’d drank any more nectar. 

“Are you alright?” The medic that handed you the nectar questioned in concern. “Do you need a different batch?” 

But you didn’t pay her any mind, because you were already panicking internally. Sure, you’d wished you could be mortal at times, but when you truly became vulnerable to death, you were fearful of the possibilities. 

“I need to speak to my father…” you muttered, running a hand through your matted hair. Your gaze flitted over the crowd. “Are there any trackers here?” 

The buff woman who had helped Yamaguchi out of the lobby raised her hand. 

“Perfect,” you grabbed a piece of paper from the ground and plucked a pen from the ground. Scribbling on the paper, you hastily wrote out the address of the park near the woody area that your hunters had been staying. You handed the paper to the woman. “This is the relative location of where my hunters are. You need to get them here as soon as possible— tell them code green 10-30.” You wrote that down on the paper as well. Then you pointed to Hylla. “You. You’re coming with me, and we’re going to have a _talk_ to my father.” 

The other people in the room looked shocked. 

“But… she’s new?” another teenage girl stated, wide-eyed. 

You sighed, rubbing at your temple. “So what? She knows how to cuss and stab like a pirate, and she just helped me kill a giant. She’s more than qualified.” You grabbed Hylla for support and she helped you stand. Despite the supposed stunning news of you giving an important job to a newbie, Hylla remained fairly poker-faced, except for a glint in her eyes that told you she was quite proud of how you’d described her. 

Meanwhile, the other girl shrank back, clearly intimidated. “Sorry, Lady Artemis.” 

“Let’s go, Hylla, we need to go to Mount Olympus.” At that, Hylla refastened her sword at her side before helping guide you out of the building, to the street. The two of you stopped at the curb. 

“How are we going to get there?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I doubt we can just call a taxi and get to the Empire State.” 

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” you replied in turn. The girl’s banter was starting to grow on you now. 

Digging through the pockets of your cargo pants, you found a drachma and threw it to the ground, stating the words, _“Stêthi 'Ô hárma diabolês”_ firmly as you did so. Hylla stood by your side, watching curiously as the coin slipped through the asphalt pavement. 

“Was that Greek— no way.” 

The taxi appeared just a second later, surrounding the two of you with its familiar grey wisps of smoke. The screechy chatter of the Gray Sisters drifted through the slightly opened windows, and Hylla looked at you in surprise. 

You looked back at her, and you couldn’t help but chuckle at the expression on her face. 

“I hope you enjoy roller coaster rides.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise, I updated! life's really stressful but inspo hit lightning quick so I just wrote it all down today. hope y'all are all doing well during this time. make sure to vote if you can & are in the US, and do it now, don't wait until November 3rd!!!!!


	8. I am not my father's daughter; if you ask, I will tell you that my name is Artemis, and I've always aligned myself more with the humans than the gods.

By the time you and Hylla finally stepped onto the road that leads into Mount Olympus, Hylla was practically supporting all of your weight. It was getting really hard to keep upright, and for the first time in your entire life, you thought that you might actually need sleep. 

"Hang on," Hylla encouraged, taking off her top and pressing it to your still bleeding side. "We're almost there." The blood coming from your wound was still golden, but it was turning an unusual shade of it. It was almost starting to seem like it was bronze. 

With great effort, Hylla helped you step through the entrance into the throne room. She hesitated a moment in her step, and you could see from the corner of your eye that her eyes were wide in awe, taking in all of the majestic seats around the hearth. 

"This... this is the throne room of the Gods?" 

"Aye," you murmured in reply. "What's the look for?" 

Hylla blanched. "It just looks... very different from the photos my sister has shown me of her camp's architecture." The two of you slowly made your way over to the foot of your throne. 

"Oh," you pushed yourself into her head for a moment. The realization dawned on you when you saw some of her memories. "I didn't realize... You're a Roman." 

"Sorry," Hylla muttered in embarrassment. "I probably should've told you. My mom is Bellona, the Roman goddess of war. But I've never truly felt... _aligned_ with Rome." She frowned. "At least, not the way my sister did."

You nodded. "I understand. That's why there are people like the Amazons and my Hunters. I welcome all women so long as they swear off men." When you looked again, it seems like she was looking wistful. "You are always welcome to the Hunters as well," you added. "You seem like a natural warrior."

"I'm afraid I can't take up your offer, My Lady," she looked at you with a sad smile on her face. "There is someone that I've been searching far and wide for."

You nodded again. "Of course, the final choice will always be up to you if you would like to join. But back to the topic at hand though, I do have to tell you this: be careful. Even though you do no identify directly as a Roman, even the slightest remark may trigger unsavory effects upon my father, along with my uncles as well." 

"I understand. But where is everyone?" 

You looked around the room. "I have no clue. We'll just have to wait." 

Together, the two of you started to settle by the hearth. Just as you were about to sit down, the flames flickered, and Hestia appeared by your side. 

Hestia was dressed in formal robes today, standing in the body of a young woman that looked about Hylla's age. When you dragged your eyes to her face, you had to have a double-take, as she kind of looked like your mother's face. It was a bit disconcerting to see since most of the time, Hestia was always in a body that was much younger, like a preteen's. 

"'Tia," you dragged yourself your feet, bowing at the older woman and stiffening when your side stretch taut in pain. Hylla followed your gesture with a reverent bow of her own. 

"Please, dear, enough of that." Hestia grasped your hand, pulling you up from your bent position. "And you as well, Hylla Ramirez-Arellano." Hylla looked up in shock, opening her mouth as if ready to speak, but Hestia continued on. "I have been expecting you." The three of you sat down on some seats by the fire. 

"Where is my father?" You asked, trying not to sound too rude. "He and I need to have a _talk_. Along with my uncles, too, if they're around."

"Ah, yes, your father will come," Hestia said. "Be patient, my dear. For now, I am sure that the fight and long ride has left the two of you exhausted." She gestured her hand at the ground before you and Hylla, and when you looked down, a warm bowl of noodles stood steaming beside your chair. "Please, let's enjoy a meal first." 

You saw Hylla eying the bowl warily and pick it up yourself. "Thank you," Hylla said quietly, following your actions. She was about to dig in when you interrupted her. 

"In the realm of the Greek gods, you must make an offering before a meal." 

"Oh." she blinked in surprise. "How do I do that?" 

You gestured toward the hearth. "A sacrifice to fire." 

"Oh. Alright... For the gods," she said, pouring in a portion of her noodles and soup. The fire crackled, the flames completely absorbing the liquid as Hylla watched in amazement. 

"Thank you," Hestia smiled. "It's been some time since an offering was given to this hearth." 

"May I ask... who are you?" Hylla lowered her bowl of noodles to address Hestia. "You seem... familiar."

"I am Hestia, dear," Hestia smiled warmly at the young woman before her, and you were suddenly reminded of your own mother's gentle smile for a moment. You hadn't seen her in so long, and, gods, you still remembered the first time she met your lieutenant, how happy she'd felt for you. "The Greek goddess of the hearth. Some call me the embodiment of the warmth of family and home." 

_I miss home,_ you couldn't help but think.

Hylla was looking intently at Hestia. "No wonder you... you look like my sister." 

"Ah, yes," Hestia said softly. "I do get that often, that I look like a family member." She traced the outlines of the flames, and they flickered, rising up and swirling in different colors, taking the shape of a young woman that looked like a younger version of Hylla, just without the scar on her forehead. Looking at Hylla again, you could see that they shared the same dark brows, arched Roman nose, and poker-faced expression. 

But the similarities ended there. They both had braided black hair, but while all of Hylla's hair was pulled back neatly in a way that exposed her forehead to the elements, the girl in the image had slightly choppy bangs that framed her face. The younger-Hylla also wore the distinct colors of Rome— a purple toga, tucked over an Imperial gold breastplate with a black shirt underneath. A sword hung at her side, its gold scabbard strangely similar in design to Hylla's silver one. Two automaton dogs ran circles around her as she walked forward, one silver and the other gold. 

"How..." Hylla looked over, seemingly at a loss of words. 

"Before you ask, she's doing well," Hestia says. "She's in the second cohort at Camp Jupiter now... she's earned the people's respect after passing Lupa's test with flying colors. The dogs were gifts from your mother." 

At that, Hylla's expression twisted slightly before loosening. "That's... relieving to hear. Thank you." 

"Now, you, Artemis," Hestia's redirected her attention to you, and you shivered slightly under the weight of her gaze. "You must prepare yourself, my niece." 

"Hestia, I don't even know what's happening," you replied, exasperated. "What on the Styx am I supposed to be prepared for?" 

Hestia glanced at Hylla. "Before I speak, Artemis, I tell you this, Hylla can be trusted." Hestia's gaze darkened after that. "But I must tell you, Artemis, the road ahead is rough for you. I can't see into the future like your brother or sense where roads lead like Hermes, but I can sense earthly attachments and catch glimpses of sacrifices. And you must be careful. You may be a goddess, but the poison that Orion afflicted on you has made you more human than ever." 

"So what am I supposed to do about that? I can't just lounge around waiting for my hunters to pick up my slack." 

"Fret not, I highly doubt that you will be lounging around. In fact, I'm actually more sure than ever that your uncles will want to send you on this hunt for the weapon once you break the news that it's been stolen. I simply ask that you be wary and that you train Hylla a bit more before you take her along."

Hylla looked up in shock. "Take me along? Why?" 

Hestia grimaced. "It is just the way that fate plays out. You two have more in common than you would think. And since Artemis has chosen you to help her to Olympus, you will not have a choice either. My brother will not let you walk away without this burden on your shoulders." 

"But... I didn't sign up for this," Hylla protested. "I already signed a contract for interning at the Amazon headquarters... I can't just drop it!" 

"I'm afraid you won't have a choice, dear. That's why I ask that Artemis trains you a little more to prepare you." Hestia hesitated before continuing, "Speaking of my brother, I am afraid it is time for me to go. Take care, you two. And remember... when in times of need, flames of my hearth welcome you. Do not forget your family." 

With that, the flames flickered out, throwing the throne room into shadows for a moment before roaring back to life. The seat by the fire where Hestia had been sitting was now empty. The bowls for noodles that you and Hylla had finished eating were gone as well. 

"Daughter," your father's voice boomed through the room. "What brings you to Olympus? I thought you were in Seattle." 

You and Hylla turned to see your father in his twenty-feet tall godly form settle on his marble throne that sat in the center of the semi-circle of thrones. You bowed before him, with a half-muttered, "Father," and Hylla dipped into a bow as well, with a quiet sigh of "Lord Zeus." 

Rising from your bow shakily, you spoke. "I've come to ask about the weapon you are having Hephaestus build." 

"What weapon?" 

"Do not test me, Father." You leaned on the side of a chair, trying to loosen the tightness on your injured side. "I am in no mood for play today."

Your father scowled. "How _dare_ you—" 

"If you would like to know why I'm not taking any of your games today, it's because that weapon's been stolen by an unknown enemy. Now, tell me, what is this _weapon_ you and my uncles have been making behind my back?!" 

The scent of ozone filled the air of the throne room. Immediately after, thunder clapped outside of the room. "Calm yourself, Artemis." The edge to his voice screamed _back down_ , but you weren't going to be swayed so easily. You could see Hylla taking a step back and glancing at you worriedly, but you weren't going to back down, at least, not now.

"Hylla, please stand guard outside," you said to the younger woman. She nodded and left the room. You turned your attention back to your father. "I'll calm down when you give me some answers." 

You and your father stared at each other, his lips pressed into a hard line, and your own face was probably scowling, too. But after a long moment, his resolve cracked, and he sank back into his seat. 

"Fine. What do you want to know." 

"What is this weapon? Why are you making it?" You huffed. "What in your right minds made you all think it was a good idea?" 

"One question at a time, Artemis, please." Your father leaned forward to directly face you. "It's a spear— an electric spear of Stygian Iron, infused with the blood of the Lernean Hydra and the blood of Ladon." 

"Are you kidding me? You made a god-killer weapon." Your eyebrows raised at his words. "What possessed you to decide that a weapon that someone could steal and use to _kill you_ was a good idea?" 

Your father waved it off. "It's not even finished yet, so it's not like this enemy you're talking about can actually use it." 

"Son of a— arghhh!" You screeched in frustration, swaying as you took a step forward. You threw down the jacket from where you were holding it to your side. The now-bronze blood continued to flow out of your wound as your father's eye widened in surprise. He got off his throne, shrinking down to human form to come closer, eying the blood. "What on _Earth_ is that?" 

"Father, how are you so _myopic_ at times?" You wiped up the blood onto your hands. "What do you think it is!? My blood's supposed to be gold, not bronze!" Your voice rose as you gestured passionately at the blood on your hands. "They might not know what a half-built weapon can do, but they already have a good enough formula to use for the poison, and that's enough to start turning me mortal!" 

The last statement left you breathing heavily, and you hunched over, hands on your knees, hoping to catch your breath. But instead, you coughed painfully, hacking loudly as bronze blood flowed from your lips. Immediately, your father was by your side. 

"How... where is Apollo? Did you get him to look at the wound? Gods, did you come here from Seattle just like this?" He grabbed your arm as you lowered yourself to your knees. Turning toward the ceiling, he called out, "Hermes, come!" 

A brief moment later, your younger brother blinked into existence before you. "Yes, F— Artemis?" He flew toward you hastily before descending by your side. "What happened?" 

"I don't know, she's injured, just, go get Apollo, now!" Your brother flashed you another quick, worried look before disappearing. 

"I'm... I'm okay," you gasped as the coughing fit subsided. Your father rubbed your back soothingly as you wiped away the ichor from your lips. "G-Gods, that was painful." 

"You don't know how worried I was for a moment there... you already know this, but gods don't have souls, Artemis," your father said anxiously. "If you died right there, you would've been wiped from existence, dissolved into particles, blown away and scattered through the world by the wind." He hesitated. "It would've been a fate worse than fading for beings like us." 

You took a moment to process his words, and you found yourself shaking slightly at the prospects of it. Despite everything that happened in the past millennia, all the sorrows that you'd lived through, and all the joys that you'd celebrated, you knew you weren't ready to go. But you also knew what you had to do. 

"Hey, father?" Pulling on your father's robe, you brought his attention away from your wound and back to your eyes. 

"What is it?" 

"Promise you won't get upset and do something against what I plan on doing," you said. "And promise that you'll give me your blessing to do what I want to do." 

Your father's forehead wrinkled in concern. "About what?" 

"Just swear on Styx." 

"I can't— fine. I swear upon the River Styx I won't get upset and do something against what you plan on doing and will give you my blessing to do whatever the hell you plan on doing." 

You took a deep breath before speaking. 

"I want to— cross that— I'm _going_ to hunt this enemy." Your father opened his mouth to protest, but you weren't stopping. "And once Apollo gives me a check-up, I'm taking Hylla, and we're going." 

"You can't do that! It's too dangerous." 

"But you can't stop me. So, now, you should give me your blessing." 

At that, your father huffed and turned away. The air grew thick between you two, and you waited in silence for each other to speak. When your father addressed you again, his voice was somber. 

"Artemis... you're still my daughter, and as a parent, I will never truly be _not_ upset if and when you throw yourself in the face of danger." He swallowed hard. "But if that is what you want, then I wish you luck and hope that you are careful in your actions." He hesitated, gazing at your face, before loosening his expression again with a heavy sigh. "I give you my blessing to take action." 

"Thank you, Father," you replied wearily. "I'll not let you down." 

The two of you spent the rest of the time waiting for Apollo's arrival in silence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait a WHAT! A second update?!?!? Must be a miracle, like whaaaaaat. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to be really busy during the next few weeks, but I can tell you this for sure: my next update will be on November 1, 2020, probably at like 10 PM EST. I will make it happen, so y'all just sit tight for now :) 
> 
> Ok, now I'm gonna fall off the grid because I have two catch up on 2 days of math hw :( 
> 
> Stay safe everyone! Make sure you vote (if you're in the US and can do so, obviously!)


	9. I've known Phoebe for more than half of my immortal life; if there's one person who knows me better than myself, it must be her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's my birthday tmrw so this was really rushed... I wrote like 3/4 of it today, my school schedule's a mess... it's honestly just another filler chapter, sorry... we'll be slowly moving into the plot...

"So, what can you do?" 

"I'm sorry, what?" Hylla's confused gaze met yours as she turned back to look at you. 

The two of you were currently at your Hunters' camp to brush up on training. Apollo had healed your side and sealed the wound closed, but your blood remained bronze when you had a coughing fit after. Despite Apollo's warnings, you had brushed him and off and traveled back to Seattle with Hermes and Hylla, to prepare for the next hunt. 

In the meantime, Hestia's words had not fallen from your mind, and you'd told Hylla that the two of you would have private training sessions starting from then on. Hylla had originally insisted that she was fine with the training she had, but reluctantly agreed when you gave her a stern, disapproving look. And now, you were trying to figure out what type of extra training she needed. 

"I mean, what are your skills? Godly powers, anything like that? Weapons you know you're good at using, et cetera?" 

"I'm usually pretty comfortable with any close combat weapon. Screwdrivers, knives, swords, spears, brass knuckles... I'm pretty good at just picking things up on the spot. I guess that's probably because of my mom." 

"Any godly powers?" 

Hylla shifted her weight awkwardly, looking down at her feet. "I—" she looked like she was about to say something, but then changed her mind and settled with a resigned, "A little bit of magic, but otherwise, no, I don't think so." 

Noticing her sudden change in behavior and the embarrassment evident on her face, you quickly tried to change your tone. 

"That's alright, I just wanted to get a gage of what we should work on. I can teach you what I know about magic, but if you want more training, you might have to find a way to convince Hecate to become your teacher. Now, let's just start with some sparring. We might each have some things that the other could learn from." 

You gestured at a little pile of weapons on the side. "These were some of the weapons that my hunters don't use much or don't need anymore. I know you said you can pick up things pretty quickly, but I just want to see how quickly. Take a pick and we'll get started. 

Hylla nodded quickly and examined the little pile, before pulling out a thin silver blade, a fencing saber. You raised an eyebrow at her weapon choice, but then again, it was the closest thing to her sword in the pile, so you expected nothing less. Hylla bent her knees, lowering herself slightly into a fencing stance. It looked so proper and poised that you thought she looked like a professional fencer. 

From the pile, you took your own pick, sliding on a pair of brass knuckles, and stepped forward, beckoning her to strike first. 

She hesitated for a moment, and you saw her eye flicker across your loose form, analyzing your stance, before she launched herself forward, right foot leading. You just barely had enough time to dodge to your right as she pulled through with a quick jab and quickly bounced back on the balls of her feet to face you again. 

Lunging low, she delivered another quick jab toward your legs, and you rolled to the side, huffing a little at the fact that you hadn't even had an opportunity to attack back. 

Her next jab came faster than lightning, and you couldn't move fast enough; the slightly pointed end of the saber tore a hole through the loose part of your jacket, and you found yourself shivering at the cold January wind that seeps through your thin undershirt. 

"Impressive," you complimented her with an approving nod of your head. "You're quite a skilled fencer... did you do fencing?" 

"Thanks," Hylla stood back up, wiping her hand on her jacket for a moment, "My... father used to run a fencing program back in Puerto Rico. He made my sister and I take lessons, in case, you know, we ever needed the skills to fight with a saber." 

"Awesome, so you know what you're doing with this." You tilted your head at the pile again. "Then... next weapon. Try to pick something you haven't used before." 

Hylla placed the saber on the grass next to the pile and from the pile, dug out a pair of bronze nunchakus. 

"Um... nunchucks? I've always wanted to try." 

"Nunchakus, actually. And now's your opportunity to try."

Hyla hefted the thin sticks up, rolling them gently, testing the chain. 

"Do you need a demonstration?" You asked. 

"No... I've seen people use it before, so it should be easier for me to pick it up." Hylla did a quick air combo. "Usually I just need to watch someone use a weapon one or two times to get a sense of how to use it." 

"That's pretty cool. Now, wanna spar?" 

Hylla grinned, sinking into a horse stance, right side facing you. "Ready when you are." 

"You've got some spunk, girl," you said, as you bounced on your toes. Unclenching your hands around the brass knuckles before closing your palms again.

It started off easy. You delivered a few quick jabs, which she dodged easily, and she sent back a few testing spins of the nunchakus as well. But once you saw that she was getting quite comfortable with the basic moves, you took it another level higher. 

You surged forward, swiping at her foot with your own, but she saw the move coming and lurched to the side. Within a moment, she had switched her stance so that her left side faced you. 

"Are you ambidextrous?" you asked curiously, eyeing how smooth her transition had been. 

"Oh," Hylla looked a bit sheepish. "Yeah, I can use both hands equally." 

"That's good. For future reference though: don't make it so obvious to your enemy. You could use their ignorance to your advantage." 

"Noted, thanks." 

This time, she made the first move, rushing forward to whip one of the nunchakus head-level. You ducked and rolled aside, narrowly missing the blunt end of her second nunchaku. As her arm pulled back, you seized the opportunity to disarm her. Hands unclenched, you grabbed hold of one end of the nunchaku with your right hand and gripped her left arm with you left, pulling the nunchaku out of her grip. 

Left with one nunchaku, Hylla took a step back to regain her balance, before advancing again. Without a second nunchaku, she was much faster, and after a few quick hits toward each other, she managed to deliver a painful blow to your right calf. 

"Ah!" You hissed in pain, as your part-mortal body absorbed the shock. Nonetheless, you shifted your weight onto your left side and went forward, throwing a jab to her stomach with your left hand, surprising her with how quick it was. 

In her moment of surprise, you brought up your elbow as well, giving her a blow to her chin. Her grip on the nunchaku on her right hand visibly loosened, and you pull it from her grasp as well. Another kick to her chest and you sent her sprawling onto her back on the grass. 

"Good spar," you said, plopping down beside her, massaging your calf. "You're very good at this." 

"Thanks. It's definitely my mom's genes." Hylla eyed your leg warily. "How's your calf? That was a lout hit." 

"Should be fine tomorrow. Might bruise or something in this body, but it shouldn't be too bad. That was a good hit though!" 

"Thank the gods," Hylla's face flushed. "about the bruising, I mean— well, I meant that I just don't want to die yet."

You chuckled at her nervousness. "It's fine, don't be so anxious about sparring. You don't have to worry about hitting too hard or anything. It's all for the experience." 

After a brief break, the two of you got up again and spent a decent amount of time working on defensive moves using the nunchakus. Hylla picked up the moves quickly, easily molding herself into each stance that you presented to her. Before long, she'd disarmed you twice using the nunchakus. 

"Awesome job," you said. "You're definitely a quick learner." You gestured at the pile. "Now, next weapon." Hylla dug through the pile again, and from it, produced a short scythe-like weapon with a long chain and a ball attached at the end of it. 

"What's this?" She asked, running her hands along the chains. 

"A kusarigama," you replied. "Phoebe— you know, the ginger hair girl who dropped off some of these weapons earlier— might've stolen that from the Yakuza this one time where Hermes sent her and a couple others to Japan by accident." 

"No way!" Hylla's eye widened at the words. "I mean, about the stealing from the Yakuza part— actually, wait, both. Hermes sent her there by accident? How?" 

You grinned at Hylla's enthusiasm. "It's kind of a long story. Let's just say she got sent on a hunt and Hermes owed her a favor, so she decided to use that favor as a quick passage to someplace in West California. Except one of my hunters pronounced the name of the place wrong and Hermes dropped their off in Japan instead, where Phoebe then proceeded to accidentally seduce a young man by being rude. And then she took one of his prized family weapons before being whisked back to America." You eyed the dark blade. "Nowadays, it usually just sits in her tent looking all nice and shiny. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen her actually use it as a weapon in a real fight. What a shame." 

Hylla looked like she was holding back a grin. "Okay, but, like, can you... can you show me how to use it?" 

"Sorry, but I'm no expert with this weapon." You paused for a moment to think, "But I do think Phoebe might be up for helping you. I'll get her. I'm also going to get some drachmas to see if we can do some explore a bit of magic later. Wait here." 

Turning back around and walking toward the campsite, you hollered for your old friend, Phoebe. "Phoebe, where's the drachma stash?" 

The ginger-haired girl turned toward you, a half-carved bow in one hand and a silver swiss army knife in the other. She tilted her head in the direction of one of the bigger maroon tents. "It's Mel's turn this week!" 

"Ok, cool. Can you show Hylla how to use that kusarigama of yours? And be nice, please." 

Phoebe's expression lit up, "Oh my lords, yes! I can't promise I'll be nice, but I'll try." She sheathed her knife quickly while jogging off toward Hylla's direction. "Gosh, I haven't used that thing in so long..."

When you entered Mel's tent, you saw the familiar trunk of drachmas sitting in the corner of the room. A black notebook laid on top, and you picked up the pen next to it, opening the book to record the number of drachmas you were taking out from the stash. 

Feeling nostalgic, you thumbed through the pages, starting from the first, and you saw the names of so many girls and women that you'd hunted with. You felt yourself tear up a little, as your finger ran down the list of names and signatures, all written in different languages and uniques fonts. 

_Arethousa, Callisto, Antikleia, the women of the olden days... Jane Austen, Catharine Beecher, Amelia Earhart, the women of the modern era... and the recents..._

Her entry wasn’t the last— no, it was on a whole two pages before the last entry, which had been scrawled into the book with Thalia's ironically ungraceful handwriting— but you finger still lingered on it, tracing the wide loops in her handwriting, the soft curve of her "g", and the sharp tilt of her "d", and just like that, another wave of emotions came tumbling into your heart. A single teardrop fell unto the bottom corner of the page. You hastily wiped it away, but the ink still smeared just the slightest. 

_Zoe Nightshade,_ you whispered her name to yourself. It tasted familiar, like honey and chocolate, but with a tinge of bitterness, falling short from the happiness you had been so used to. 

Pulling yourself away from your melancholic thoughts again, you scooped up a handful of drachmas from in the trunk. You flipped the page in the notebook and jotted down your name, followed by the date and a sixteen, for the number of drachmas that you'd counted in your hand. Then, you placed everything back to where you'd found it, laying the notebook back down to the top of the trunk again. 

A loud crash of blades and loud voices drew your attention to the outside of the tent, and you rushed out, fearing that there had been an ambush. 

There was no ambush; instead, you saw that a group of your younger huntresses had gathered around the clearing where you'd been sparring with Hylla, and several were giving delightful cheers and pumping their fists in the air. 

Nudging your way through the crowd, you make it to the frontlines to see Phoebe and Hylla sparring, with Phoebe wielding the kusarigama and Hylla holding her own silver sword. 

Standing at the edge of the little crowd, you watched as Phoebe demonstrated a couple quick moves to Hylla, which the black-haired girl just barely deflected. Another move and Phoebe had the chain of the kusarigama wrapped around Hylla's weapon, disarming Hylla in two seconds. 

Moments later, Phoebe handed over the weapon to the taller girl.

"Your turn," Phoebe said, holding her hand out for Hylla's sword. You saw that Hylla hesitated for a moment before handing over her weapon. 

You watched in amazement as Hylla's stance completely changed as she tested out the weapon with a couple quick moves. It looked like her body was just meant to fit into whatever stance needed for the weapon she was using. 

The crowd of younger girls cheered as the two's blade met. Phoebe looked quite comfortable with the sword that she was holding, while Hylla looked a little unsure of her moves. But slowly, you saw her jabs get quicker and slashes turn smoother. Within minutes, the two were going at it at an all-out fast-paced speed. There was rolling, jumping, ducking, and an overwhelming amount of grunts from hits that landed. But eventually, Phoebe had Hylla disarmed under the blade of the kusarigama. 

"Yield?" 

Hylla wriggled, as if looking for a way out, but then she stilled under the blade, realizing that she was good as dead in this position. She cussed for a moment before remembering that she had an audience. Phoebe loosened her grip when she finally tapped out. 

"Again," Hylla said, rubbing her neck and cracking it. Phoebe looked on, smirking just the slightest. 

"You sure you're ready for round two?" 

"Yeah, let me use my sword though," Hylla wiped some sweat off of her forehead. "I just want to try something different, see if I can get through that way." 

"Ok, then. Of course." 

The two got into their fighting stances again, but this time, you saw that Hylla's stance had changed a bit. Instead of the stiffer, Roman technique that she'd been using earlier, her posture was much looser, body leaning forward just the slightest bit. 

You watched as the two clashed again. Phoebe's moves had changed just the slightest; she still attacked using the same types of moves on her kusarigama. However, Hylla's fighting technique had completely changed. The formerly clean and precise technique that she'd been using before had been dropped, in its place was a combination of seemingly uncoordinated slashes and jabs. 

But as you examined closer, you saw that the moves were in fact very coordinated. To the point where they seemed uncoordinated to the untrained eye, but still delivered effective results. 

At this moment, Hylla was not just Hylla, the nervous Amazon that you'd picked up along the way from Seattle. No, she was something far bigger, far more amazing, and far, far more dangerous. You were finally seeing her now, as Hylla Ramirez-Arellano, a whirlwind of sharpened steel and silver blade, hacking, slashing, and parrying her way through her enemy's defenses. 

Before you knew it, the kusarigama was flying out of Phoebe's hand, and Hylla was behind the ginger-haired girl. Another blink later, and Phoebe was kneeling on the ground, with Hylla's blade at her throat.

"Yield?" 

Phoebe held up her hands. "I yield." 

Hylla stepped back, letting Phoebe get to her feet again, as you came forward, complimenting her swordsmanship. 

"That was quite a style of fighting, Hylla." 

She grinned back at you. "Thanks. I learned it from the pirates. Knew it would come in handy someday." 

"You— what?" You saw Phoebe's jaw drop just the slightest. "From pirates?" 

Hylla suppressed a laugh and you smiled slightly that she was more at ease with Phoebe. 

"The pirates, now?" you asked, your own curiosity taking over. "You and your sister trained with pirates?" 

"Yes, the pirates," Hylla replied. "My sister and I spent some time with Blackbeard and his crew... not quite training though." She laughed, "We got captured by them, actually. It was tough at first but we picked up some unconventional techniques, and some other things." She waved nonchalantly at the pale line on her forehead. "This scar, for instance." 

"Damn, girl," Phoebe said appreciatively. "You better teach me how to fight like that!" 

Hylla grinned back. "Only if you give me more tips on how to use that scythe-chain weapon thing of yours." 

"Stop calling it that, it's a kusarigama!" Phoebe muttered indignantly. "Come on, say it. Keh-SAI-ri-GAH-ma." 

"Ok, girls," you watched in amusement as Hylla overexaggerated the words. Phoebe had also launched herself at Hylla, wrapping an arm around the taller girl's neck. "You seem to be getting along quite nicely?" 

"Yep," Phoebe said. "Hylla said I reminded her of her younger sister, and I told her she reminded me of Zoe, with that annoying stiff posture and obnoxiously rude cussing– oh, shoot, sorry! I didn't mean to—" 

You waved her off, "It's alright, don't worry about it." A sharp pang of sadness struck your chest again. "Can I trust the two of you to have a productive sparring session for the next hour or so?" 

"Yep," Phoebe said a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She patted Hylla's back roughly. "You were right about how good she's with weapons—"

Hylla cut in with an annoyed, "Hello, I'm right here," but Phoebe continued on. 

"— and now, I'm gonna teach this girl all she needs to know about using a kusarigama send an immortal running home to his mama. Just you watch." 

"I'll be watching," you fought the urge to smile at Phoebe's blunt words. 

"You better be," the ginger-haired girl replied, "because, with my father's sight and all, I already know it." She lips curled up into a knowing smile as she looked at Hylla, who was still struggling under her headlock. 

"This one's going to go far." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! And extra thanks for the kudos and comments, they always brighten my day :) 
> 
> Read on for my thoughts on Hylla...
> 
> *  
> *  
> *  
> *
> 
> Alright, so, discussion time about a character I've always wanted to know more about in Heroes of Olympus: Hylla. 
> 
> Since the Ramirez family has been blessed by Bellona for centuries, wouldn't it make sense for Reyna and Hylla to have some type of really, well, powerful power? We all know that Reyna's only godly power is that she can lend strength to others, and when she does, her SPQR tattoo burns... from this, I have this theory that Reyna's power to share strength is directly linked to her Roman tattoo— if anything else, I think this power was a gift from Bellona as a pat on the back for joining the Legion. 
> 
> On the other hand, Hylla never joined the legion. But she's the firstborn child of the Ramirez family after centuries of blessed genes, and she's probably even more powerful than Reyna. Hylla likely has the power to share strength as well, but then, it's also possible that she doesn't. I think she does share that power with Reyna, but I also think that she has even can do even more than what Reyna can do... I'm just undecided on what this "more" is.
> 
> Furthermore, we know that Hylla's awesome at close combat, her skills equal or possibly even greater than Reyna, and, now, combined with the Amazon Queen's belt, she can literally lift a car. A CAR. Now that's some physical prowess there. Plus, Hylla became the Amazon queen, and there are only two ways she could've done that: one, the previous queen declared her the heir to the throne, or two, she won a dual against the previous queen. Since the Amazons are a group of warriors that really value fighting prowess (as compared to say the hunters, who value things like agility and stealth), it's safe to say that in either situation of Hylla's ascension to the throne, Hylla must have had to be a great fighter.
> 
> But moving on, while Reyna's biggest strength is in her nobility (which leads to her fatal flaw of ambition, because, you know, she wants to be the paragon of honor and leadership for her fellow legionnaires), I think Hylla's biggest strength could be her ambition (and her fatal flaw possible the recklessness that comes with a willingness to do anything and everything to get where she wants to get herself). In fact, Bellona is the goddess of war, but she (and her Greek equivalent, Enyo) is also the embodiment of destruction and devastation. We already know that Hylla and Reyna are alike but also different, and I can see this being the main difference between them. Also, Reyna continued down the path that her mother had pushed the two sisters onto, while Hylla chose to carve her own path into the woods with the Amazons.
> 
> With this in mind, I think that Hylla and Reyna represent the two different parts of Bellona. Reyna, aligning with Rome, can give strength because she's aligned with the Roman, military-honor-Bellona, who stands for equity, nobility, and selflessness. On the other hand, Hylla pretty much raised herself and Reyna, all by herself. It's a little bit like Bianca and Nico's situation. It makes sense that Hylla would align with the more destructive side of Bellona. She would want to write her own destiny, and it makes even more sense that she can care more about herself than others at times (but she obviously won't put herself above her sister) because of her childhood. Plus, Hylla aligns with some of the fiercest warriors and most independent, powerful women in the entire modern world, who are also known for being a tad bit harsh toward men, to say the least... Honestly, I really think that she HAS to be the embodiment of destruction for her mother's side because combined with ambition and godly powers even greater than Reyna's, it's a recipe for greatness, fit for a firstborn daughter of Bellona.
> 
> OK thanks for coming to my ted talk LOL but those are just my thoughts on the Ramirez siblings


	10. Poseidon is my teacher and the wisest one at sea; maybe one day I will finally learn from him what it means to be the captain of my soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back at it again with a random unplanned update woohoo

You called for Poseidon's help. 

You had never really seen eye to eye with your uncle, but if you wanted someone to actually teach legitimate magic to Hylla, you needed his help. Hecate was the goddess of magic, but the last time she'd offered to train a hunter of yours was years ago, and that was only after the huntress had passed a rigorous test of sorcery that Hecate had designed herself. You had taken the test yourself and didn't even pass. 

And now that Hecate, along with many of the minor gods, had seemingly disappeared off the face of America, it wasn't like you could contact her anyway. 

Scouring by the river a couple hundred meters from the campsite, you found a kind river naiad to help create a rainbow for you. Under the setting sun, the water droplets on the naiad’s figure shimmered an enticing shade of aquamarine. Digging into one of the pockets of your cargo pants again, you pulled out a drachma and gracefully tossed it into the water. 

"Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering. I wish to speak to my uncle, Poseidon." 

The scene cleared to show the underwater realm of your uncle, zooming into what looked like an office room. There, your uncle sat, spinning a bright pink fidget spinner and watching it with an expression of complete fascination. 

"Ahem," you cleared your throat awkwardly. You stifled a chuckle as your uncle jerked back in surprise. "Hi." 

"Hi?" He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What's up?" 

"Did my father talk to you yet?" 

"No?" you could see your uncle visibly getting more confused. He stood from his seat, coming up closer to the Iris message to speak more clearly. "Did something happen?" 

"Uncle... someone has stolen the weapon that you, Hades, and my father have been making." 

Your uncle laughed dryly. "You're kidding me... right?" His expression turned into one of worry. "You're not joking. Gods dammit!" He turned on his heel, huffing, "See, I told your father this would happen. Word travels and there's always someone out there that will want to steal. And what does he do? Not listen! That son of a—” 

"Alright, now that the new's broken," you cut into your uncle's rant, "I need some help." 

Your uncle shuffled back to the wheeled chair by his desk, falling back into the seat. “What do you need? I'll try to help as best as I can." 

“Could you spare some resources?” 

“What types? Weapons? Chariots? Warriors?” Poseidon fingered his beard thoughtfully. “Maybe one of those magic water hoses that Hephaestus made?” 

“Uh... that wasn’t what I was going to ask for, but hey, if you have some good weapons that we could use— that is if they can be used on land— it’d be great.” 

“Okay, I can have my men drop some off by your camp... where are your hunters right now?” 

“Seattle.” 

Your uncle raised an eyebrow. “With the Amazons?” 

“Yes,” you nodded in reply. “We’re actually working with them to find the weapon.” 

“Well then, I guess I’ll send some women to drop off the stuff...” His gaze narrowed as he seemed to see something on your clothes. “What are you wearing?” 

“Huh?” you glanced down at the attire you’d been wearing all day. “I’m wearing my usual clothes?” 

“No... what is  _ that _ ?” he asked incredulously, pointing at the gold and bronze stains on the bottom portion of your jacket. 

“Oh, I got in a scuffle with the enemy when they barged into the headquarters and took the weapon—” 

“And you got in contact with the poison.” 

“...how did you—“

“Because I’m the one who made it, Artemis! I tested that thing on myself and I can recognize the symptoms... your face gets paler, you lose some height, your hair gets lighter in its shade. And the bronze blood just makes it more obvious.” Poseidon brought his hands up to his head with a great, frustrated sigh. “Great Gaea, we’ve really done it this time.” 

You shifted your weight nervously. “Do you know how long it’ll take to wear off?” 

“With the 3 ingredients I used, it took nearly three months to wear off.” 

You could imagine your eyes bugging out of your head. “THREE MONTHS? Christ, Orion said two weeks!” 

“He probably used different ingredients, which is even more concerning, because the blood didn’t turn that shade until the second month for the mixture I’d made.” 

“Well, _fuck_. I’ll be damned,” you replied. 

“Is there anything else I can do to help?” 

“Yes, actually... uh, I wanted to ask if you had any master sorceresses I could borrow? I need someone willing to train a friend of mine with some magic. Don’t you guys have like a tutoring program or something?” 

“Yeah! It’s called Triton’s Tutors, but uh... okay, let’s check who available for some sessions. And you need this to be on the land right?” 

“Yes, please.” 

“Alright, so let’s see the available magic tutors... Aquata, Andrina... Adella, Pallas. Ok, yeah those are the only four that can help you if training is going to be on land.” 

“Pallas?” You quirked an eyebrow in question. “Like, Pallas Athena’s Pallas? I thought she’d died... a  _ very _ long time ago?” 

“Yes, she did, but there were some technical difficulties with Thanatos and stuff like that, so she’s back. So Pallas?”

“Yeah, ok, I guess we can stick with Pallas.” 

“Okay.” Poseidon tapped a few more words on his keyboard before sitting back satisfied. “All done. She’ll show up sometime tomorrow morning at your camp. Seattle, right?” 

“Yeah. Thanks.” 

"You're welcome... and Artemis?" 

"Yes?" 

"Be careful... stay safe." 

At that, Poseidon nodded a farewell and swiped his hand through the image. You thanked the kind naiad that had helped you make a rainbow, offering her a couple of drachmas. She shook her head no, and instead, shyly asked, “Can I get a kiss?” 

You blinked in surprise. “A kiss?” 

“No, no, no! Not like lovers,” the girl blushed. “You know, like one of those silvery ones. The blessing kind. For my river to thrive, of course.” She quickly went on, “Sorry if I’m asking for too much, it’s just a lot of pollution and—“ 

“Oh. No.” You flushed in embarrassment at your own assumption. “I mean, don’t worry. Of course. Can I have your hand?” 

The girl bashfully reached out her hand, and you grabbed hold of it, pulling her closer to you. With a gentle murmur of a blessing, you placed a chaste kiss onto her hand before letting go. 

“Thank you...” The naiad gave a satisfied sigh before leaning back and falling gracefully into the water, dissolving into the small currents that came along. Immediately, you could see the effects of your blessing: the water grew a shade or so clearer and almost seemed to sparkle with a silver light. 

“You’re welcome,” you murmured to an empty clearing, before starting to make your way back to camp. 

The rest of the day passed relatively quickly. Phoebe continued sparring with Hylla. All of your hunters were preoccupied with something, whether it was mentoring newer hunters or sorting through plans with the small group of Amazons that had come to the camp to talk plans. 

As sunset approached, you found yourself flipping a butterfly knife and talking to Astoria, the two of you sitting on a log by the campfire. The Amazon Queen had finally sobered up throughout the day, even though she still stared at you like you were the answer to all of her questions. Now, she was telling you about the recent monster attacks that had been happening in the Seattle area. 

“The one before today—we lost sixteen girls,” she said somberly. “Buried alive when one of the smaller buildings collapse. By the time we removed the debris, they’d all passed.” 

“I’m sorry for your loss. Elysium will have welcomed them as heroes.” You looked away uncomfortably, reminded of your own losses.

“How do you do it?” Astoria suddenly asked you. 

“Do what?” 

“You really seem to care for you hunters,” Astoria said, hesitating. “But even so, with the immortality and power you have...” She shook her head. “How do you do it? Knowing that the girls under your command can die anytime and you can’t do anything about it, even with all the power in your hands.” 

You sighed at her words. “I learned to live with it.” Gazing across the clearing, the corners of your lips twitched upward as you watched one of your older hunters, Vivian, make dramatic knifing techniques to a small group of new recruits. 

“I’ve learned to live with it and focus on the present. After all, this is all I have. I’ll never see my old companions again, but I’m at peace knowing that they are finally at rest.” 

There was a long stretch of silence before Astoria spoke up. 

“I could have saved them.” 

You raised an eyebrow at her in question. 

“The sixteen girls in the building. If I hadn’t pushed back my morning meeting because I was tired... I could’ve arrived on time and saved them.” She sniffled lightly. “I let my blood sister die.” 

“It’s not your fault,” you said, as gently as you could. “Things like that are just written into the universe, and we can’t change it. Just blame it on the Fates. At least, that’s what I do.” 

“Blaming it on the Fates wouldn’t bring my sister back,” she chuckled bitterly. She wiped at her eyes angrily. “She was just twelve, goddammit!” 

“I’m so sorry.” 

“Do you know what it feels like to lose such a close loved one?”

Immediately, your mind flickered back to warm hazel eyes and loose braids. You remembered the taste of her lips, the way her arms felt wrapped around your shoulders, the heat of her skin. The freckles splashed across her cheeks and the sound of her rare laughter. Everything in your mind was suddenly murmuring,  _ Zoe, Zoe, Zoe _ , and you froze, nearly slicing your thumb open as your butterfly knife fell to the ground. 

“Hey, are you alright?” 

“Y-yes,” you blinked, snapping out of your thoughts as you picked your blade up again. “Yes... I have lost someone I cared a lot about.” You didn’t know what compelled you to continue on—maybe it was the sympathetic gaze that Astoria gave you. 

“Her name was Zoe Nightshade,” you said softly. Her name felt foreign on your tongue, like a word from another language that you’ve said before but weren’t sure if you were pronouncing right. “She is—she was my former lieutenant... and my lover.” 

“Your— _ oh _ .” The dark-skinned girl beside you visibly slumped at your confession. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” 

“No, it’s alright. I was the one who chose to answer... It feels good to say her name again.” 

“She the one with the circlet back then? Olive skin, braided hair?” 

“Yes, that's her.” 

“I remember her,” Astoria grinned. “She’s one helluva knife fighter.” 

You smiled sadly at that. “Yeah, she is. Or, I mean, was.” 

“If you feel comfortable... would you like to tell me what happened?” 

“It’s a long story...” 

Astoria glanced at her watch. “And we still have two hours to kill.” 

You gave in. And with another sigh, you started from the beginning of the tragedy that happened last December. You told her about your niece Annabeth, about the weight of the sky, about the demigod traitor Luke. You spilled about the Jackson boy and his sword that had been lovingly crafted by your former lieutenant so many years ago. You spoke about your lover’s fight against her father, the prophecy the Fates had given her, her final words, and the bittersweet goodbye. 

“She always loved the stars... so I took a part of her soul and made her into a constellation,” you said as you came to the end of your story. It was nearly two hours later, and the sun had fully set. 8:30 PM and the stars had come twinkling into existence again, and shifting your head up just so slightly, you could see the brightest constellation in the sky. 

“Is that her?” Astoria asked, voice thick. She’d cried when you spoke about your lover’s passing. It seemed that she’d traced your gaze to the constellation. 

“Yes,” you replied, holding back a sniffle. “That’s her.” 

“You... you’ll never see her again?” 

“No,” you whispered. “I won’t see her again.” This time, you couldn’t help but let loose a string of curses that you’d held in you for so long, and when you finally ran out of the fire, you wiped at your eyes. 

“If this is the price for immortality,” Astoria whispered. “To have a loved one so close but just out of your reach... I think I’d rather die a million slow deaths.” 

You couldn’t help but nod in defeat. 

“I would, too. I really would.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all zartemis fans! join the zartemis discord that my fellow zartemis writer @Zoe_Nightshade_Rules made:  
> https://discord.gg/c8Tu9BPu7R


	11. And so, Apollo begins to tell another tale with his prophecies; I can only hope this one turns out better than the previous.

It was now three days later, and the Amazons had strengthened their headquarters, adding a whole new section of barracks— under the disguised of storage building— for your huntresses to reside in. You didn’t want them going anywhere, knowing that if you did get hurt, your followers would be the next targets. 

Apollo had visited you, checking your still-healing wound and delivering a prophecy of his own and abruptly leaving. 

_Goddess, warrior, and queen_   
_Turn south to the land of golds_   
_To the mount where it all began_   
_Where sorrow twice unfolds_   
_Lo, secret reluctantly confessed_   
_Find, a weapon wrongly blessed_   
_Under the ground, let lover’s woe manifest_   
_Above the shades, let beloved’s soul be unrest_   
_Goddess beware, in the darkest of times_   
_A second is a lifetime, and hesitation a crime_   
_For a flicker of light can spark the flame_   
_But unkempt torches can set light to hay_

“That’s obvious,” you spoke as you stood from your seat around the conference table that you and a couple of other Amazons and huntresses were seated that. There were a bunch of things on the table; at least two dozen books about feminism, another two about dominatrixes, a couple of files and notepads, a giant paper map, and several miniature figurines that resembled people on the map. “I’m the goddess, Astoria is the queen. Warrior is a bit vague but that’s Hylla.” 

“How do we know that?” An Amazon with bright blue hair scrunched her nose in confusion. “What if—“

“No what ifs,” you interrupted her. “I was told to bring Hylla with me. My aunt Hestia deemed her worthy so.” Murmurs arose between some of the older Amazons and huntresses, but you hushed them with a raised arm.

“What about our queen,” another Amazon asked. “Queen Astoria is pretty much in charge of everything and we—“ 

“Find someone to be second in command.” You turned sharply to look at Astoria, who was sitting at the head of the table, hands clasped in front of her. “Do you have a second in command?” 

She tilted her chin toward a young girl sitting next to her. 

“I’m Kinzie,” the girl said, looking at you. “Hi."

You blinked twice at the girl, and she blinked right back at you. She couldn’t have been more than thirteen years old, so unless she was an immortal or something... You raised an eyebrow, and Astoria shrugged back at you. 

“She might be young,” the Amazon Queen stated, “but you’d be surprised at what she’s capable of.” 

“Alright, then that’s settled. Kinzie, you’ll be in charge during that time.”

“Got it,” Kinzie replied. 

“What about your hutners?” Astoria asked. 

“I want them to stay with you all—“ 

“What!?” Thalia’s surprised voice cut in as she stood, smacking a palm again the wood of the table. “You want us to stay behind? And-and just leave you, especially since you’re now—”

“Thalia,” You sighed, rubbing your forehead. Of course your half-sister would insist on throwing a fit in the middle of a meeting with the Amazons. “Sit down.” 

“But—“ 

“ _Lieutenant_ ,” you said sharply. “We will discuss that in _private_.” 

Thalia deflated, dropping back into her seat with a half-hearted “sorry”. She looked embarrassed, but you didn’t really care. 

You laid a palm on the table. “It’s settled, then. I want my hunters to stay in this area. Permission to leave the city of Seattle is _not granted_ , understood?” 

“Even if it’s an emergency?” Thalia chewed her lip. “If the three of you need reinforcements or something...” 

“Even if it’s an emergency,” you affirmed. “And that goes to all of you Amazons as well. You're not to leave this area, unless Kinzie, Astoria, Hylla or I say so explicitly. Understood?” 

A mumbled chorus of “understood” echoed through the room, as you settled back into your chair. “Good.” Turning your attention back to Astoria, you gestured for her to continue. “Anything you would like to address before we continue to examine the prophecy?”

“Yes, a few quick things.” Astoria flipped through a couple of her papers. “Six appointments were canceled today, they’ve been postponed. I believe Yasmine reschedule them until the beginning of next month. Justine, please take care of them if I cannot make the meetings.” 

She flipped to another page. “Shipments for this month arrive at the port on Friday. No detours this week. I know y’all love the city, but please, we need to keep everything as clean as possible, and it’s very likely that we’ll have more monsters appearing.” 

“Here are the areas we need to rebuild our defense,” Astoria continued, grabbing five figurines and setting them up around the area. “The main and back entrances our headquarters need to be re-solidified. We need all extras eyes on the armory, and the security system needs to be re-programmed, too.” 

Astoria pointed at the three figurines that were isolated from the two others near the headquarter building. “And these three areas we need to keep control of. The warehouse is especially important. Kinzie will be in command of overseeing this.” The younger girl nodded. 

Another flip. “Um... there’s some other stuff about our headquarters’ defense system, since it kind of got trashed with the last attack, I’ll discuss that with the defense crew and the hunters later. Let’s get back to the prophecy?” 

“Yeah,” Thalia agreed. “We can drill down the details, I think Vivian has some plans.” 

“Okay. Also, I just realized that this is a really long prophecy,” Astoria mused. “Like, I thought the prophecies were usually like 6 lines long, max.” 

You sighed. “It’s different for the gods. And Apollo tends to deliver longer ones.” You rolled your eyes, “he’s dramatic that way.” 

“Oh.” 

“Moving on— land of the gold.” 

“Land of the gold.” Hylla said tentatively. “Um, that’s kind of vague. Or maybe that’s just me...” 

“It has to be in the south, so—“ 

“I think it’s California,” Astoria immediately said, gesturing the map unfurled on the table in front of you. She set down a small women that held a bow on what you presumed to be California. “Land of gold— California’s the golden state, and it was known for its gold mines back in the day. That would probably makes the most sense.” 

Hylla frowned. “Then that seems too _obvious_.” 

“No, Astoria has a point,” you said. You gestured toward the presentation board where the prophecy was displayed on. “The mountain—“ 

“Oh gods, of course.“ Thalia shivered. 

“Yes, I think it is,” you agreed. You pulled the paper map on the table a little closer to you, taking the little figurine of the huntress and dropping it further inland on the map of California. “Mount Tamalpais.” 

“How do you know it’s that one?” Astoria asked. “There are dozens of mountains in California.” 

“It’s where...” You hesitated before finding a different wording. “The Garden of Hesperides currently resides there. Thus, so does Ladon.” 

“What does Ladon have to do—“ 

“The blood is in the poison.” 

“ _Oh._ Okay.”

“I think everything else is just stuff that we’ll have to find out about,” Hylla said, looking at the other lines of the prophecy. “I don’t like the vibes it’s giving off, though.” 

“Neither do I,” you confessed. “But we have to hurry, from what the last few sentences are saying.” You turned toward Astoria. “Do you think we can head out in the day after tomorrow?”

Astoria’s lips twisted into a frown. “That’s a little tight, but yes, we can try to make that happen.” 

“We _must_ make it happen,” you insisted. “We can’t risk putting this off any longer.” 

“Alright,” Astoria folded her hands over her notepad. “The operation starts now, then. And we leave at sunrise on Thursday morning.” 

“Perfect,” you sat back, gazing darkly at the huntress figurine that sat on top of the paper map. 

"I guess it's time to pay Mount Tam another visit." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter whoops. i should be studying for midterms tbh. also i couldn't think of anything right now for the chapter title, so i might just change that later to fit the theme or something (that is, if I can come up with something)

**Author's Note:**

> hey yall zartemis fans! join the zartemis discord that my fellow zartemis writer @Zoe_Nightshade_Rules made:  
> https://discord.gg/c8Tu9BPu7R


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